Charles Leclerc claimed the fastest time in Abu Dhabi's first practice session but received a 10-place grid penalty due to a necessary battery replacement in his Ferrari. The new battery installation, his third of the season, delayed his track time by 30 minutes.

Despite the late start, Leclerc posted an impressive 1m24.321s lap time on soft tires, outpacing Lando Norris by 0.221 seconds. He managed to complete 19 laps on soft tires, gathering crucial data for Ferrari's constructors' championship battle.

Key session highlights:

• Lando Norris finished second fastest
• Lewis Hamilton placed third, 0.485s off the pace
• Six rookie drivers participated in the session
• Arthur Leclerc made history alongside brother Charles as the first siblings to enter an official session as teammates

Notable performances:

• Pierre Gasly finished fifth for Alpine
• Nico Hulkenberg placed sixth for Haas
• Franco Colapinto earned seventh but faces a five-place grid penalty
• Felipe Drugovich was the fastest rookie in ninth place

Session complications included Isack Hadjar's early spin at Turn 7 due to cockpit fitting issues, and Lewis Hamilton facing stewards for impeding Norris at the final corner.

The session, while taking place in unrepresentative daytime conditions for the twilight race, provided valuable data for teams finalizing their weekend strategies.

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